Trial of John Hendrickson, Jr., For the Murder of His Wife [And]..

1853. Albany: David M. Barnes and W.S. Hevenor, 1853. Albany: David M. Barnes and W.S. Hevenor, 1853. McDade 468 [Trial]. Hendrickson, John [1832-1854], Defendant. Barnes, David M., Reporter, Compiler. Hevenor, W.S. [d.1909], Reporter, Compiler. Trial of John Hendrickson, Jr. For the Murder of His Wife Maria, By Poisoning, at Bethlehem, Albany County, N.Y., March 6th, 1853: Tried in the Court of Oyer and Terminer, at Albany, N.Y., In June and July, 1853. Albany: David M. Barnes and W.S. Hevenor, Publishers, 1853. 176 pp. Woodcut frontispiece depicting John Hendrickson and Maria Hendrickson. Octavo (9-1/4" x 5-3/4"; 23.5 x 14.6 cm). Disbound stab-stitched pamphlet, wrappers lacking. Moderate toning, light soiling to exterior, corner folds to several leaves at beginning of text, early manuscript table of contents to verso of frontispiece. A good copy overall. $125. * Only edition. John Hendrickson was a wastrel who married into the wealthy Van Dusen family of Albany, NY. Unfaithful to his wife and eager to acquire her fortune, he poisoned her with aconite. This is believed to be the first American murder committed with this substance. New ground was broken by the forensic testimony presented in this case by several experts, most notably Benjamin Silliman, the eminent chemist and Yale professor. OCLC locates 3 copies, 1 in a law library (Harvard). McDade, The Annals of Murder 468.